The APAK, or Auditory Processing Assessment Kit is an easy to use student screening tool and professional learning kit for teachers. The APAK has been proven to effectively identify the 20% of students at risk whilst assisting teachers to improve the literacy outcomes for ALL students.

" 17% of ALL students have poor literacy progress and 12% have concurrent problems with literacy and behavior. 50% of ALL specialist Pediatric consultations are due to concerns with a child’s behavior. "

" 20% of ALL specialist Pediatric consultations are related to learning difficulties.
1 in 5 students (20%) are slow in developing normal auditory processing capacity, and are at high risk of experiencing difficulties with learning and displaying externalizing (disruptive inattentive) behavior problems. "

Why has the research surrounding the Auditory Processing and Assessment Kit (APAK) been featured in major print media such as the Australian and Sydney Morning Herald, published 36 times in educational journals and international magazines such as Literacy Today and Teacher Magazine, presented at more than 7 international multi-disciplinary conferences and cited in both Australian State and Federal Governments and National Enquiries?

In a 1999 clinical trial, 64 primary school teachers from 34 primary/elementary schools in Victoria,
Australia were given a 1 hour professional development session regarding the research surrounding
the Auditory Processing and Assessment Kit. When 1700 students took standard literacy and
attentiveness tests 6 months apart, those 900 students from the trial schools whose teachers had
received and used the APAK scored, on average, 0.31 Standard Deviations higher in literacy tests
and attentiveness tests when compared to students who had been tested without their teachers
receiving the APAK professional development trial. The impact was even greater for both boys and
students from a non-English speaking background.

Science makes the difference: 10 years of research, development and testing by teachers,
audiologists, paediatricians and educational psychologists give you evidence-based
assessments, techniques and recommendations with proven performance.

It works because:

1. The kit is very effective in assessing students ability to processing auditory information and
therefore identifying those ‘at risk’ of literacy underachievement.

2. The assessment is simple and quick to administer (~7mins per student (~3 hours per class) per
year), requiring basic resources and no specialist expertise.

3. It gives professional development to teachers, developing the knowledge to understand this aspect
of child development and by taking this into account, developing the skills to communicate effectively.

A complete list of publications, conference papers, citations, and print media articles can be found at
the website of Rowe Research.

The assessment within the APAK is not intended to and does not provide a diagnosis; rather it is a quick and simple screening test and an assessment of how each student is functioning relative to their
peers in their ability to process auditory information. This ability is affected by age and familiarity with language. It can be independent of intelligence but difficulties can be associated with speech and
language difficulties, mild intellectual difficulty and concentration problems. Communication should be adapted for children who have poor auditory processing capacity. Improving communication is
necessary but may not be sufficient to completely assist in these conditions.
(Note it is not a hearing test)